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Carry On Doctor [1967]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Bedpan humour rules in Carry On Doctor, the vintage 1968 offering from gang, assisted by guest star Frankie Howerd as bogus faith healer Francis Bigger. Hospitals, of course, always provided the Carry On producers with plenty of material. Today, these comedies induce a twinge of serious nostalgia for the great days of the National Health Service when Matron (Hattie Jacques, naturally) ran the hospital as if it was a house of correction, medical professionals were idolised as if they were all Doctor Kildare and Accident and Emergency Departments were deserted oases of calm. But even if you aren't interested in a history lesson, Talbot Rothwell's script contains some immortal dialogue, particularly when Matron loosens her stays. "You may not realise it but I was once a weak man", says Kenneth Williams' terrified Doctor Tinkle to Hattie Jacques. "Once a week's enough for any man", she purrs back. Other highlights include Joan Sims, excellent as Frankie Howerd's deaf, bespectacled sidekick, Charles Hawtrey suffering from a phantom pregnancy, 1960s singer Anita Harris in a rare film role, and Barbara Windsor at her most irrepressible as nurse Sandra May. --Piers Ford


"Oh no you don't," says the patient to the nurse, who comes into his room holding daffodils, "I saw that film!"
Review date: 2008-01-05 Rating: 8 out of 10

The patient is Francis Bigger, played by Frankie Howerd, and the line is a sly reference to the funniest scene in Carry On Nurse. It's probably the cleverest line in Carry On Doctor. Like Carry On Nurse, Carry On Doctor takes place in hospital and, as the movie says, is a bedpanorama of hospital life.

The long-running Carry On movies were bawdy, low-comedy, good-natured madhouses that featured a repertory company of comics we came to recognize instantly. Here, the company is made up of Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale, Hattie Jacques, Sid James, Joan Sims, Charles Hawtrey, Barbara Windsor and Bernard Bresslaw, among others. They play the patients, the doctors and the nurses at Finisham Hospital. If you relish jokes about bedpans and hernias, where any possible activity below the waist will wind up as corny, corny jokes or wheezing double entendres, Finisham is the place to be. Says Dr. Kilmore (Jim Dale) to Francis Bigger, "Just as I thought. You fell on your coccyx." "I did not," says Bigger, "I fell on my back." "Your coccyx is at the base of the spine," points out Dr. Kilmore. Says Bigger, "Well I've never heard it called that before."

A Carry On hospital movie always has lots of nubile nurses assisting the longing denizens of the male ward. "Nurse, I dreamt about you last night," says a hobbled Ken Biddle (Bernard Bresslaw) to the stacked Nurse Clarke (Anita Harris). "Did you?" she asks? "No," Biddle says, "you wouldn't let me." And of course we have to deal with the Matron, a large woman more indomitable than a battleship, who knows how to keep any male quivering at the thought of one of her enemas or her ice baths. Has a matron ever been played as perfectly as Hattie Jacques? Her matrons always know what they want, and in this movie, Matron wants Dr. Kenneth Tinkle (Kenneth Williams), the hospital's chief physician. "Matron," Dr. Tinkle says, "you may not realize it but I was once a weak man!" "Doctor," says Matron, "once a week is enough for any man!"

Who cares what the plot is when we have lines like these? We even have Charles Hawtrey who, in film as well as in life, raised mincing about to an art form, playing a father-to-be suffering from false pregnancy symptoms. It's a small, unlikely and vivid bit. The whole movie is a funny, gently off-color and totally innocent experience...such as the small boy who swallowed half a crown and was taken to hospital. Two days later the boy's mum asks the doctor, "How's he doing?" "Sorry, missus," the doctor says, "there's still no change."

The Carlton Region Two DVD of Carry On Doctor has a fine picture and several extras. The best is the film's commentary by Jim Dale. He comes across as a nice guy, talking about people he enjoyed working with. For the last few years, as well as having great success on Broadway, Dale has been doing the acclaimed audio books for the U. S. version Harry Potter books.

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Reviews


the most recognisable of the lot
Review date: 2007-03-20 Rating: 10 out of 10

this is one of the most famous carry ons and indeed the one that people most love,and if you asked people who dont like carry on to name one i can almost bet that they will say this and rightly so,the carry on series is legendary and within that their exploration of the hospital is famous,ranging from carry on nurse to carry on again doctor and to a lesser extent in carry on matron.
Sid james takes a back seat to frankie howard in this,sid being ill at the time in real life but still appearing and kenny williams as an over pompous doctor,charles hawtrey,hattie jacques as the fearful matron and bernie bresslaw all appear here and babs windsor as a nurse who send the male patients temperatures soaring,who can forget her immortal words 'oh,saucy',by now the carry on team was established and the quality was on the rise,the crew here just know they are working with a great bawdy script laced with prime laughs,this is a classic carry on in every respect.

Medical Madness With The Carry On's
Review date: 2006-05-03 Rating: 8 out of 10

For the 15th entry in the long running British comedy film series, it was a return to familiar terriotry - the hospital. Carry On Nurse (1958) had enjoyed immense International success so a similar formular was re-worked into Carry On Doctor.
It must be said that Carry On Doctor is amongst the most famous in the series and indeed it has many fine moments throughout, although I have to say that I found Again Doctor (1969) to be more satisfying as there was a little bit more of (dare I say it) a plot structure. This is no more than an updated formular of Carry On Nurse, with slight variations. All of the gang are here, with guest star Frankie Howard receiving top billing. Also included are Sid James (who due to his present illness at the time was restricted to film most of his scenes in bed), Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Hattie Jaques as the ferocious, no-nonsence matron, Jim Dale, Joan Sims, barbara Windsor, Bernard Bresslaw, Peter Butterworth, Anita Harris and Dilys Laye.

Basically all fun and games throughout although the climax is good where the patients rebel aginst Williams and Jaques after the unfair dismissal of accident prone Jim Dale. They subject to Williams to an ice cold bath and Jaques to a degrading blanket bath - amusing stuff.

Best players would have to be Kenneth Williams and Hattie Jaques although many of the other cast members get their moments too including Frankie Howard who seems to effortlessly blend in with the regular Carry On cast as though he'd always been part of the team, Jim Dale who is accident prone throughout and Charles Hawtrey in an unusual role as a patient suffering from a sympathetic pregnacy! Barbara Windsor makes a welcome return to the series who had not been seen since 1962's Carry On Spying whilst Joan Sims is another regular in an unusual role as Frankie Howards deaf assistant. She plays the role masterfully whilst Bernard Bresslaw and Peter Butterworth bubble in the back ground as patients.

The series was on a roll at this time after enjoying success with Screaming (1966) and Don't lose Your Head (1966) and the next two films would perharps be the pinnacle of the series with Up The Kyber (1968) and Camping (1968). As for Carry On Doctor (1967) this defintley ranks up there with the other greats of the series. Recommended!



Funny...and really interesting!
Review date: 2004-05-12 Rating: 10 out of 10

I grew up watching Carry Ons - but I never really thought about buying the DVD's until I happened to pick up one in a shop and read about the audio commentary by Jim Dale. Now Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Hattie Jacques, Joan Sims and Burnard Bresslaw are no longer with us he's the last (in my humble opinion) of what I class as my REAL Carry On gang and it was great listening to Jim talk his way through what he remembers of making the films (the most clear memories seem to be the pain involved in some of the stunts!!) It was also lovely hearing him talk about his co-stars - the real, personal memories of people he worked with for many years, people that were far more than the human caricatures they seem to have become. He was friends with who he says was the real Kenneth Williams and he'll tell you what Sid James was really like to work with - a true gentleman. These films are a British institution and stars are some of the most intriguing actors in British comedy. Having these commentaries gives you a real personal insight into their making...from a very funny man!

An excellent edition to the Carry on series
Review date: 2003-11-22 Rating: 8 out of 10

Out of all of the medical carry ons (carry on nurse, doctor, again doctor and matron)this is probably the best one. The film includes most, if not all of your favourite stars, babs, sid james, jim dale, kenny williams, bernard breslaw, joan sims and peter butterworth. Also in this film is frankie howards debut in the series (again seen in carry on up the jungle) and he makes an excellent edition to the ensamble cast. the plot, as for any carry on film is a little thin, basically it is just a collection of funny moments based inside a hospital. Kenny williams is the senior doctor, of whom hatties 'matron' charactor wants, jim dale is the 'ladiesman' doctor, eyeing up babs, charles hawtry suffers from a 'pregnancy' and the rest are in for various things. This is one of the better carry ons in the series, the gags come thick and fast and jim dale really adds an energy to the film. Of course, as with many films of a similar age the jokes are a bit dated, but nevertheless, this is an excellent film, which certainly has its funny moments

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Frankie Howerd
Jim Dale
Charles Hawtrey
Sid James
Kenneth Williams

Creators:
Frankie Howerd (Primary Contributor)
Sid James (Primary Contributor)
Alan Hume (Cinematographer)
Alfred Roome (Editor)
Peter Rogers (Producer)
Talbot Rothwell (Writer)

Director(s):

Recording label: ITV DVD
Manufacturer: ITV DVD
EAN: 5037115033734
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2003-02-17
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 91 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1967-12
Language: English (Original Language)

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